The grief one experiences when having to bury our loved ones is something all of us dread the most, and if it is letting go of a young child, it can be extremely painful, as memories of them always come back, making one sad.
A couple from Utah decided that the short time their son shared with them was a gift and their son’s short and bubbly life, in spite of severe disability, should be an inspiration to be remembered with more with joy than sadness.
Ernest and Anneke Robison, on September 23, 1988, were blessed with a son. They named named him Matthew Stanford Robison.
Ernest and Anneke were overcome with joy and happiness. But their joy was short lived, doctors told them that Matthew would probably only live for a few hours as he was born with severe disabilities.
But Ernest and Anneke didn’t take those words too seriously, they believed a higher power and divine beings are charge of everything, and kept believing. In the end, their faith was justified, and they were able to spend a precious ten and a half wonderful and joy filled years with their loving son, Matthew.
In the end, Matthew passed away peacefully in his sleep.
The church that coordinated his funeral was jam packed. Everyone was heartbroken that Matthew was no longer with them, and everyone remembered the joy they had, from just being able to know this precious little soul.
He never let his disabilities keep him down, and if anything, he reminded others that they should never let anything keep them down in life, either.
Matthew’s obituary read:
“And then it shall come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.”
When the time came for Ernest and Anneke to bury Matthew. They decided to forgo the traditional route of having a standard gravestone. Ernest had other plans…
Although they were grieving, they didn’t want his gravestone to be sad and gloomy. As a reminder that Matthew brought them so much joy and happiness, they made plans to honor him by making his gravestone a reflection of the bubbly and joyous personality he had while he was alive.
Matthew was laid to rest at Salt Lake City Cemetery, and here Ernest used Matthew’s space to honor his beloved son.
He made the base of the gravestone in a traditional manner, with an engraved inscription, but added something unique on top of the gravestone to make it noticeable to all who walked by. The addition, was a sculpture of a boy rising from his wheelchair and reaching up to the sky —symbolizing how Matthew is finally free from the bondage of his disabled physical body.
Ernest’s statue for his son Matthew is so inspiring and wonderful that many people have visited Matthew’s grave since it was put up. Not only does the sculpture represent Matthew’s new found release and ascendancy, but also that in this physical world he no longer has disabilities, and also it does something even more extraordinary.
It inspires and comforts other families who have lost their loved ones with disabilities, while still reminding them of their loss, it makes them realize that their loved ones are now free from their disability like Matthew is.
Enjoy Utah! a blog that showcases everything that is related to Utah, shared their initial reaction when they came across Matthew’s grave:
“One day while driving around doing research at the Salt Lake City Cemetery, I spotted this beautiful headstone and memorial. It immediately brought tears to my eyes, and continues to every time I visit it. Never before had I come across such a touching statue that tells so much at first glance.”
With the intention of doing more to honor their son, Ernest and Anneke started their own charity, called Ability Found. This charity provides assistive equipment to others who are living with disabilities.
A lot of times children and adults who are suffering from disabilities cannot get access, or they can’t afford the equipment they need to assist them with everyday activities. Ernest and Anneke’s charity helps people who have this problem.
Coming across and facing tragic situations is a part of human existence. There are multiple ways of handling these situations – one is a negative and destructive way, and the other, a positive, and constructive way, one which Ernest and Anneke chose, by helping others and making a positive impact…The choice is ours, how we make use of sad and negative experiences in our lifetimes.
Watch this video to learn more about Ability Found.
This story was originally published on FaithTap.com.